FARNBOROUGH, England — 16 July 2014 — CFM International is pleased by Hainan Airline's commitment to purchase 50 CFM-powered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and look forward to finalizing this order, along with Boeing, in the very near future. The final order will be valued at $1.3 billion U.S. at list price.
Hainan Airlines has been a CFM customer since the airline began operations in 1993, when it took delivery of its first Boeing 737 aircraft.
The LEAP-1B, which is the sole powerplant for the Boeing 737 MAX, began ground testing in June 2014 three days ahead of schedule. The engine is part of the most extensive ground and flight test certification program in the company's history and will encompass 60 engine builds over the next three years and will accumulate approximately 40,000 cycles before entry into service.
The LEAP-1B engines incorporate technologies never before seen in the single-aisle aircraft segment that have been optimized for the 737 MAX. The new engine will combine advanced aerodynamic design techniques, lighter, more durable materials, and leading-edge environmental technologies, making it a major breakthrough in engine technology.